Author: Bear Burns MBACP Integrative Counsellor
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Why I’ve decided to be an IFS informed therapist, not IFS Institute certified therapist (for the moment)
Internal Family Systems, or IFS has taken the therapy world by storm as a model for dealing with the various parts of ourselves. Many clients are looking for IFS therapists but might be confused by what’s on offer. At the moment, you can only call yourself an “IFC Certified Therapist” if you have trained at…
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YouTube video: Dr Laurie Santos on Happiness
8 minutes, 30 seconds Video Summary Dr. Laurie Santos, a psychology professor at Yale and host of “The Happiness Lab” podcast, explains that our minds often mislead us about what will make us happy. We tend to “miswant” things like money, possessions, and status, assuming they’ll bring lasting happiness, but they often fall short. Santos…
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51+ Grounding techniques for dissociation, shame, anxiety & anger.
What is grounding? Grounding is a collection of techniques used in therapy to help individuals reconnect with the present moment when experiencing overwhelming emotions or dissociation. Dissociation is a mental process where a person disconnects from their thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of self. Grounding techniques can involve: Physical sensations: Focusing on the feeling of…
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Gabor Mate: video on trauma and partner choice
This is a really interesting video, and one which I’ll keep coming back to because it’s so rich in content and food for thought. If you haven’t got an hour to spend watching the video, the summary below may be helpful. Video Summary: This interview with Dr. Gabor Mate explores the profound impact of childhood…
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How to recognise and fight porn addiction: a journey to recovery
I think this video, Nuggets, by Filmbilder & Friends is a masterpiece in describing the process of addiction. Porn addiction is a real and challenging modern day issue, impacting lives and relationships of a growing number of mostly men abut also a growing number of women in the UK. It’s a taboo subject in…
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What is Gestalt therapy?
Gestalt Therapy: A Holistic Approach to Mental Well-being Gestalt therapy is a unique form of psychotherapy that emphasizes personal responsibility and focuses on the individual’s experience in the present moment, the therapist-client relationship, the environmental and social contexts of a person’s life, and the self-regulating adjustments people make as a result of their overall situation.…
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Shame: Understanding and Navigating this Painful Emotion
“Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging.” – Brene Brown Shame is a deeply uncomfortable and distressing emotion, often described as a sense of worthlessness or defectiveness. It’s different from guilt, which is focused on a specific action, whereas shame is…